Media statement | 26 June 2007

Route efficiency and public transport upgrades Land Transport NZ’s focus for Wellington

Improved efficiency and access on major routes and public transport upgrades are the focus for Wellington in the 2007/08 National Land Transport Programme (NLTP).

Land Transport NZ today announced $2.4 billion in transport spending for New Zealand in 2007/08, including $223 million allocated for investment in Wellington’s land transport network.

This includes $44 million allocated to maintain state highways and local roads, and $84 million for local road and state highway construction. Another  $59 million has been allocated for Wellington’s passenger transport operations, with a further $11 million in Crown funds  allocated to accelerate passenger rail improvements in the region.

Land Transport NZ Acting Chair Paul Fitzharris says the agency and its partners are committed to making Wellington’s major routes more efficient and reliable. Making public transport a more attractive alternative  to car travel is also a priority, he said.

Major transport projects completed during past year in the region include:

• delivery of 18 replacement carriages for the Wairarapa passenger rail service
• Wellington city’s inner city bypass
• the MacKay’s Crossing railway grade separation south of Raumati on SH 1
• widening and strengthening the Waiohine bridge on SH 2 between Carterton and Greytown, for safety and flood risk mitigation.

Funding has been committed for the continuation of major projects in 2007/08, including:

• extension of the wire rope median barrier on the coastal section of SH 1 between Paekakariki and Pukerua Bay to improve safety
• construction of the Dowse–Petone project on SH 2 to eliminate two sets of traffic signals, improve safety and traffic flow.

Projects which may be funded during the year include:

• upgrading   the passenger rail network to accommodate  the introduction of 70 new electric multiple units, including extension of double-tracking and electrification to Waikanae and improvements to the Johnsonville line
• design and implementation of bus priority measures in Wellington City
• intersection improvements in the Kapiti Coast District
• further seal extensions on Western Lake Road in the South Wairarapa District
• investigation of improvements to SH 1 near the Basin Reserve in Wellington.

The Road Safety to 2010 Strategy goal for the Wellington region is that by 2010 fatalities and hospitalisations will be fewer than 240 per annum. There were 32 fatalities and 310 hospitalisations due to road crashes in Wellington during the 2006 year. Funding for road policing activities in the Wellington region is $23 million for 2007/08 to help reach the 2010 target.

Mr Fitzharris said a new element in this year’s NLTP is the inclusion for the first time of community focused activities, including road safety and sustainability initiatives. This change means the planning and funding of these activities can now be integrated with the delivery of other NLTP activities.

Mr Fitzharris says the activities funded through the NLTP reflect Land Transport NZ’s objective of contributing to an integrated, safe, responsive and sustainable land transport system.

Regional newsletters, a fact sheet and the NLTP book, which details all projects in the 2007/08 NLTP, will be available at www.landtransport.govt.nz from 6pm today.

For more information:

Ian Hunter
Partnership Manager, Central
(04) 931 8900 or 0274 506 966